Dietary determinants of the iron status in menstruating women.

Serum ferritin, haemoglobin, serum iron and total iron binding capacity were determined in 203 healthy menstruating women (32.9 +/- 0.6 years). Demographic and medical data were collected in the whole sample. Dietary intakes were evaluated by the dietary history method in a randomized subsample of 127 women. One fifth of the women had exhausted iron stores, as defined by a serum ferritin of 12 micrograms/l or less. The duration of menses influenced the serum ferritin concentration but contraception did not. Most of women had daily iron intake below the recommended dietary allowances for menstruating women. Serum ferritin was not correlated with daily total iron intake. But a relationship was found between serum ferritin and dietary intakes; intakes of meat, dairy products and coffee had a significant effect of serum ferritin concentration.